This week First News grabbed a quick five minute chat with Charlie Higson, author of The Fear.

Your current book series is quite scary – where do you get your ideas and do you ever give yourself nightmares after writing?

Ideas are everywhere. You just have to grab the ones that interest you and run with them. My new series is based on two things, my childhood fantasy of how brilliant it would be if all the adults in the world simply disappeared and my intense fear of zombie films.

What were you scared of when you were a child?

All the usual things – bigger boys, bigger girls, dogs. Then I saw my first zombie film and I was able to add zombies to my list.

Do you have any tips for getting over fears?

Face them. Nothing is ever as bad as you fear.

Out of all the characters you’ve written, who is your favourite and why? 

I like the Skofirax in my book Monstroso because he’s funny.

Do your own children read your books? Do you ask them for any “tips”?

My boys do read my books – they are my target readership, and they are very good at making suggestions – which usually involve adding more gore. They need to act and talk and react to each other in a believable way, so it really helps to have some teenage boys around to help me write them accurately.

What are your favourite type of books to read?

I love action adventure stories. I’m reading Bernard Cornwell’s series of Sharpe novels at the moment, about a soldier in the Napoleonic wars.

What advice would you give to children who want to be an author?

You’ve just got to write. It’s the only way you can learn. Just the same as if you were learning to ride a bike, you have to get in the saddle and start pedalling. Write a lot and read a lot.